Slow
by goddessweaver
Summary: Zell/Quistis post game, new relationship
1. Chapter 1

No ownership whatsoever, except for the game with a broken disc 3, so I have to play with the characters like this.

Sunday

"Hyne, Quistis," Zell bounded blindly into her room and flopped onto her suede couch, "girls suck!"

She was in her pajamas, a pink tank top and pink and blue plaid boxers, lounging on the matching easy chair grading the last batch of SeeD exams for the semester. She rolled her eyes and closed her laptop- the field exam wasn't for another two weeks and a sour puss Zell, believe it or not, drained more energy than Zell on an adrenaline high. She put the computer on the coffee table and padded over to the mini-kitchen the instructor rooms had. "Beer or hard cider?"

"Huh?" He looked up from the throw pillow he was groaning into just long enough to answer, "beer, thanks," before he buried his head again and resumed moaning.

At least he's a polite little emotional child, she thought as she popped the top off two hynekans and took a long swig off of one. Thank his mom for that though, really. The only time she'd heard the other orphanage boys say please was when they were begging, being sarcastic, or trying to get into a girl's pants. Yet they were all much more successful at all three than Zell.

She smiled as he curled up his legs so she could share the couch. She rubbed him affectionately on his calf until he sat up to take his beer, well, the one she had drank about a third of on the way to the couch, but whatever. He did notice that it seemed a little light but he shrugged and drank it anyway. He bounced up and down on the couch a few times then flopped his head over to look at her with big blue puppy dog eyes. He wanted to be asked, clearly.

"So, Zell, how was your day?" She managed to ask with only a little smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.

"WHAT? Ugh, Quisty, why ya gotta mess with me like that?"

"Sorry, what do you want me to say..."

"So this bitch Stephanie," he interrupted, "I've been after her for like months, right?" He was hopping again, "she agrees to go out, so I take her to the training center or whatever, and after I bust up like, a thousand grats while she just stands there, then she's all 'this isn't the way to the secret area' and I'm like, 'well yea, I thought we would like, get to know each other first, and what better way than to fight next to each other,' right?" Quistis got in a 'uh, huh' before he continued, "and she's like 'why the Hell would I want to fight? Let's just go make out and maybe we'll want to get to know each after then, I dunno.'" He finished in a whiny falsetto.

Tired, he slumped into a loose hug, awkwardly putting his nose in her ear. She ran her fingers through his spiky hair, kissed his cheek, and moved his head onto her shoulder. "I'm sorry it didn't work out, Zell."

"I just, I dunno, I just wish girls wanted more, you know. I want what Squall and Rinoa, or Selphie and Irvine have. Or even Matron and Cid. If I just wanted some chick to, like, fuck or whatever, why would I try to impress her for three months before I made a move?" He had the expression of a little boy whose balloon had just popped. "Don't you ever feel that way?"

She gently pushed him over to his side of the couch, but he guilessly kept his hand on her knee. "Of course. I've got the trepies who don't think of me as a person but as some statue on a pedestal, and people who want me for political power or the prestige of dating someone who helped save the world. Then there's the guys with the whip fetishes," she smiled a hollow little smile, her eyes unfocused as she downed the hynekan. "They all see past me. Nobody sees me." She stiffened as Zell started tracing little patterns on her knee. She covered his hand with hers. "But you know, I keep busy, I have good friends like you. If it's meant to happen, it will. Fate is like that." She finished her beer. "Hell," she got up off the couch and went for another beer. "We might die before we get that far, though."

She sat back down next to Zell and leaned in to him a bit, getting comfortable. "Might as well make out with some bimbos while you wait, right?"

Zell was so confused. Stoic and proper Quisty was encouraging him to hook up with chicks who wanted, well, yeah, the hero, the athlete's body, the goofy, nonthreatening guy who would buy them drinks and get them noticed. That didn't seem right, but it was best not to argue with Quisty. "Heh, I guess so. Wanna watch a movie?"


	2. Chapter 2

Monday

He woke up slowly at first but once he realized he wasn't in his dorm his eyes shot open immediately. Before he let himself move, his mercenary training kicked in- 'Okay,' he thought to himself as he assesed his situation, 'Quisty's couch, good, I'm safe, and that's Quisty sleeping on my chest, so she's safe too.' He shut his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the comfort that came from hugging his friend. 'Quis is so warm, smells good, too.' The warm body in his lap snuggled a little closer, and his body woke up a bit more. Uh, make that a lot more- "Shit!"

"Huh?" A groggy Quistis sat up and rubbed her eyes, rolling them with an "ugh" when she discovered that she left her glasses on all night. "Hey, Zell. What time is it?" She smiled up at him as she cleaned her lenses on her shirt.

"Time for me to be at weight training! Thanks for, uh, shit, last night, Quis- Bye!" And he was out the door.

"The Hell? Zell is so weird. Oh, shit, it is late!

Xxxxx

"Shit, shit, shit!" Zell chanted as he ran to the weight room. It was so, heh, hard running with a boner. And that dream he had, Hyne, blonde hair fanned out on a pillow before him, luscious breasts peaked as she stroked them, toned, pale stomach writhing beneath his caresses, soft sighs of completion coming from her pale pink mouth. He had to slow down to catch his breath. He didn't... Like Quistis, did he? He remembered his dream Quisty moaning his name. "Zell," it called.

"Zell"

"Zell! Come on buddy, you're late!" Irvine called from the changing room.

Hyne, he probably, like loved her or something. "Shit."

Xxxxxx

Lunch was the same petty much everyday. Iced tea, sandwich with a filling of dubious origins, fruit, friends chatting idly about the latest gossip, missions, or whatever, maybe a game of cards if their schedule allowed, at the same table every day. Today was no different. Squall was picking at some macaroni while Rinoa told a giggling Selphie some great secret, Irvine was holding her hand while looking over a stack of papers with Zell. She took her regular seat between Zell and Squall. "Hey, Qius," Irvine looked up from his papers, "your hair is pretty today."

"Oh, yeah," she laughed, "I was running a bit late this morning. Didn't have time to put it up." She smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear and picked up her sandwich.

"Zell was late to the weight room this morning, too. No more keeping him out after his bedtime on a school night, ya hear?" Irvine chuckled to himself.

Rinoa chimed in, "I thought you finally had a date with that girl, Zell. Didn't it go well?"

"No, but, uh, it's okay. Turns out I didn't like her anyway," he answered, never looking up from his plate. He'd been staring at it since Irvine mentioned Quisty looking pretty.

"Well, I know this girl from E Squad who's up for some fun. Want me to set it up?" Selphie offered excitedly.

"I've had enough 'fun' for a minute, Sef. I need a timeout from girls."

Irvine laughed, "well, I know a few boys who might like a go..."

"Irvine!" Quistis grabbed Zell's forming fist under the table and coaxed his hand to relax and hold her own. Zell submitted to the caress but shot her a pained look that sent her hand back to her lap.

"Qiusty," Selphie's eyes shot wide, "when was the last time YOU,"

Zell shot up, "THAT'S ENOUGH!" Quistis pulled him down but left her hand on his shoulder. "You guys, just, no, okay? Not today," he ended quietly.

"Okay... So, who wants to see a movie Friday?" Rinoa changed the subject, "they're showing that new one about the Card Queen in Balamb."

Everyone nodded and went back to their lunches. Quistis sucked the juice off her pickle a little more loudly than she usually did, or maybe it just seemed that way because everyone was so quiet. Just as Irvine opened his mouth to make a lewd comment, Zell downed his milk and left, leaving a half eaten hot dog on his plate. The raunchy comment fell off his tongue. Instead, the cowboy just laughed.

Xxxxxx

"So," Squall ran a hand through his hair and scrunched up his face, "you saw that shit with Zell, right?"

Irvine looked up from the terminal he was working on to look at his commander. "Uh, yeah." He smiled and went back to his work, whistling.

"What happened last night?" Squall slumped into the chair next to him.

"All Zell said was that the date went badly so he went to watch a movie with Quis, and he ended up sleeping- just sleeping mind you- over there."

"So?"

"Then he let loose a limit break on a heavy bag and took a long cold shower."

"Oh."

"Right."

"Should we... do anything?"

"No, and don't let on to the girls. If this is gonna work out for them, they have to find each other."

"Yeah. I guess, whatever."

Irvine banged his head on the desk in front of him, "Good work, Squally. Very almost human for a minute there."

Xxxxxx

Quistis knocked on Zell's door for the fourth time. The lights were on, so she knew he was in there. Just as she was about to walk away, he answered, "hey, Quis." He seemed tired.

"Hey, just wanted to check on you. Don't let the guys get to you, you know?" She smiled hopefully and showed him the bottle of Estharian rum Laguna had given her after their last visit. "You have Cura-cola in here right?"

"Yeah, but," he sighed, shaking his head and rubbing his hand over his face. He expected her to get the hint, but in a very Selphie-like move she pushed past him into his room, brushing the front of his pants with her hip. "Booyaka," he muttered as he shut the door behind her.

By the time he turned around she was rummaging through his mini fridge, ass in the air. Nice, plush, perfect ass. "So," she turned and set the cola and glasses on the coffee table. "I thought we were better after last night?"

He was still reeling from the close contact at the door, then the whole ass, uh, thing, and now her tits were totally, like, right there on her chest, leaning over to set the drink in front of him. "Huh?"

"Stephanie," she blinked. He was staring at her... boobs? Poor guy must be hard up. "Screw her, right?"

He tossed back the drink and laughed bitterly. "No, that was the problem. But, yeah, forget her."

She cocked her head to the side, "but that's it, right? I mean, I know you want more, but not everyone finds the one at nineteen. You can't let the smug coupled make you feel like just someone should do."

"Someone?" He kicked back another shot. She was only on her first, but who was counting?

"Well, yeah, like yesterday I was saying I feel like men just look past me?"

"Yeah," he shifted guiltily. He was kind of looking past her perfectly sculpted shoulders to his perfectly made bed. The two made a good match.

"Well its kind of the same. I mean you're an awesome guy, Zell," she gave him a lopsided smile. "You deserve someone that compliments your enthusiasm and energy and strength, someone who understands your drive; what you've been through, but still wants to play. Someone who loves you, Zell. Not just, you know, someone."

He sighed into his drink and nodded.

"Hyne, Zell." She tossed back another one and capped the bottle. She stood up slowly and walked the liquor back to the fridge. She sat next to him on the couch and grinned, "You shouldn't have let me run on like that. That's some angsty shit two nights in a row. No more drinking unless we're both well rested and content, yeah?"

He took her hand and cupped her cheek in his other hand. "Yeah, Quis, I'm sorry." Oh, shit, he was crying.

"Zell," she breathed.

"You deserve the same, you know?" He was whispering too.

She leaned in, pressing her forehead against his, both seeing nothing but the other's blue eyes. "Sure, but I'm not the one who's, uh, upset right now."

The corners of his eyes crinkled. She kissed his cheek, and he kissed hers, which was nothing new, but, Hyne, had she always smelled this nice? "I know, Cry Baby Zell, huh?"

She pulled him in for a tight hug, and laughed. He snuggled closer at the sound of it, and she was sure she pissed him off. "Hey, you said it, not me!"

"No, I know, I'm not mad, Quisty." She ran her fingers through his hair, laughing again, and he cleared his throat. "Hey, uh, what if I've, uhh, found, you know- her? The one who can see me and all, but, uh, she... Well, okay," he shifted out of her embrace and held her hands. He watched himself stroke her long fingers, but couldn't bring himself to look at her. "So I've been doing a lot of thinking today, and I think I know, no, I know who I love, like for real love, and we share all those things, and she's super cool and smart and pretty, she, uh, she sees me, she just doesn't- see- me." He dropped her hands and turned away from her.

"Oh. Wait, OH! Zell. Oh, Zell!" She was very still for a full minute. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he said, kind of indignantly. "I don't have a choice, do I? You get me, Quis. You've been teaching me to be the best man I can be since we were little, but you're one of the few people that actually smile when I screw around. We're, just, made for each other, I know it." He held her gaze, desperate but hopeful. "I know it's a lot, but could you, I dunno, try?"

He stood, putting himself in front of her while she sat very still. His chest was heaving with ragged breathing, but his hands stayed impassively by his side.

She was quiet and still not moving. Her expression changed several times, her mind working quickly. She wasn't an impulsive woman, but one who knew what she wanted to do pretty quickly- it came with the job. She believed, like Zell, and the rest of her orphanage gang, that life was a series of chioces that were really already made because of who you were and who was sine you.

She knew Zell loved her, as a friend- probably best friend since the second war. He'd never betray her, and he would worship her but as a human, not as a goddess. But was it a fleeting attraction? No, Zell wouldn't have brought it up if it were. Well, probably not. Still, she didn't want to lose what they had, but that was already on the line, even more so if she were to outright reject him, wasn't it? Shit. Yep, decision made for her. She stood, meeting his steady gaze.

"Shit," he muttered, running his hand over his face.

"Yeah."

"Well, it was nice knowing you!" He walked right past her and went for the door.

"Damn it, Zell. Come back here," she rolled her eyes. "Hyne, how are we ever going to give this a chance if you're going to be like that?"

"Really, Quis?" He put his arms around her, completely platonically, and tried to resist the urge to punch the air.

"Sure, just, let's go slow, okay?"

"Yeah, totally," he murmured into her cheek before he pulled her in, molding her body into his. The friendly embrace turned erotic alarmingly fast- Zell did know what he was talking about. Her every curve met his every angle, and when she sighed into his mouth as their tongues touched for the first time, he felt like he was flying. He cupped her bottom and she made this sound in the back of her throat. Her knees went weak when he found her breast.

Hyne, this was not two teenagers fumbling in the dark for a thrill, but it sure felt like it when he picked her up and pulled her legs around his waist. He fell onto the couch with her on top of him and he just beamed up at her, running his fingers along her exposed hip bones. She looped her arms around his neck, and he snuggled into her cleavage, kissing the tops of her breasts, and she made more of those sweet little noises. "Hyne, Quis," he said to her in a voice a touch deeper than she was used to.

"I know," she pulled back and looked at him. "How did we not figure this out earlier?" she purred into his ear as she rolled her hips, grazing his lap.

He shuttered, "Hyne, Quis!"

"Zell!" She ground into him again and put his hands on her breasts over her blouse. She kissed him fiercely.

"But Quisty, we're going slow, baby, right?"

She continued to rub herself against the hardness behind his zipper, but her face cleared a bit. "Yeah, of course."

She kept going, so he went on groping her tits though the thin peach blouse she wore. He was clearly confused and losing blood flow to the brain by the second. "Mmkay?"

"It's just a little dry humping, Zell," she said in her instructor voice. She pulled away a bit, but not breaking contact with his groin.

"Mmkay," he breathed again, and in one swift move, he was on top of her, pressing himself into her core over and over again with swift, graceful movements, not unlike the ones he used in battle. She called out his name as he mouthed over her tits through the blouse and she dug her fingers into his ass as he drove into her, the short skirt riding up over her panties. The rough denim and the undenyable hardness underneath created a delicious friction over her oversensitive body. It was too much. She cried out and spasmed beneath him, holding his head to her breast. His release followed, and he collapsed on her with a groan.

When the room stopped spinning, he lifted himself from her, but not without a sweet kiss on her sweat sprinkled brow. He was grinning like a kid on Hynemas morning.

"If that was slow, Quis," he said on his way to the bathroom, "it's gonna be fucking nuts when we're married!"

Xxxxxx

She sat up and righted herself, looking at herself in the mirror on the bathroom door. Zell looked good on her. "Wait, married?!'' She turned on her heel to run out of the dorm but stopped herself. 'No, I'm not running out on him. But' "Hyne, Zell!"

"Shit, Quisty," he was rushing out of the bathroom, thankfully in a fresh pair of boxers. "I'm sorry!"

"Zell," she threw up her hands and dropped them to her sides impotently.

"Baby, it was just hormones and my stupid mouth," he ran to her side and kissed her. "Please don't be mad."

"I'm not, really," she hugged him back, realizing that he was shirtless. She had seen him shirtless probably a thousand times but never thought to look. Damn.

"Good." He held her for a minute, "wanna sleep over?"

She laughed, "no. Not anymore!"

"Fine," he ran his fingers through his hair. "Can I at least call you my girlfriend? I swear there's no ring involved. No declaration from the rooftops or anything!"

She kissed him in response, but broke it short with an exaggerated shiver. "What, baby?" She held him tighter and sighed. "Oh."


	3. Chapter 3

Tuesday

"Hey everybody!" Selphie flitted into her seat, "I had the dreamiest dream, guys."

"Of course you did, darlin', you had the dreamiest dreamer next to ya," Irvine drawled. Zell kicked Quistis under the table when she snorted into her sandwich, tuna today, probably. "What was it, sugar?" He spat an evil look across the table.

Oblivious, Selphie went on excited, "A wedding, guys!"

Irvine coughed, "R-really?! Uh, Squally finally doing the deed, huh?"

She looked up, as if t rying to read the dream off her eyelids, "No, he was there, but I don't think it was him." She frowned, as did Irvine, Rinoa, Zell and Quistis. Squall seemed perfectly happy though. "I don't remember, nevermind..." She still had that tone to her voice though. "My dreams always come true, guys- when I remember them. But I remember most of it though. I dunno, Squall and Rinny have been together the longest, so maybe?"

Squall's eyes went big like he had just remembered something, "Hey, Quisty, no pickle today?" Irvine guffawed.

"You boys are gross!" Rinoa scolded. Selphie chimed in, "yeah!"

"No," she said coolly, "I went for the banana today." She picked it up and slowly unpeeled it, with an evil glint in her eye. She put the fruit up to her open mouth, but didn't put it in. Instead she licked the very tip of it with her little pink tongue. Then she licked her lips with an 'mmm.' A Trepie across the cafeteria dropped his tray. She toyed with tasting it; peeled out little by little. Once she had the rapt attention of the boys, except Zell, who was pretending to be very interested in his plate of spaghetti, she ferociously bit into it, earning an 'Urk' from Squall and some uncomfortable shifting from Irvine. Zell just laughed along with the girls.

"Oh, and what's got you so chipper, buddy?" Irvine called, still sitting a little funny.

He tried to suppress his grin, but couldn't. "Nothin', man, just enjoying the show like the rest of you. I guess it just takes a bit more to get me worked up is all," he said shoving a fork full of pasta into his face.

"What? Since when, asshole?" Irvine bit back.

"Yeah, says the guy who wept openly while in prison," Squall added.

"Yah," he said nonchalantly, "but that was war. I meant about like supressing my urges and shit." He punctuated his statement by winking at a passing female SeeD. The girls giggled, nearly falling out of their chairs at the faces the other two men were making.

"Selph, you know damn well you have a healthy appreciation for my urges." He was raising his voice, "Hell, without the URGES that Squally and I have, you two might be..."

"Uh, Irvine," Squall pulled on his duster as Irvine gestured towards the big gun holstered at side.

"Our URGES are perfectly normal and natural, ladies!"

"Oh, hyne, " Squall cursed and slumped over to bury his head in his girlfriend's hair, who was now in tears she was laughing so hard.

Quistis put a hand on Irvine's shoulder and said quietly, "keep on like this and President Liore is going to demand that you and Squall are the ones who get married."

'Huh?' Irvine scanned the room and put the pieces together, "Oh, shit." And he sat down with his head in his hands. Everyone was very quiet until he came up laughing harder than anyone.

Xxxxxx

Zell followed Quistis into her dorm after lunch. "So, uh," he puffed out his chest a bit, "you off for the afternoon?"

"Yeah, the cadets are field training. So..."

He crashed into her, kissing her with a deep seated hunger. He felt powerful after getting such a rise out of the guys, and for having the girl that gave every guy in the room a hard-on just by eating her lunch, even if it was just to mess with them- no, especially since it was to mess with them. "You are so hot, Quistis," he growled and pawed at her, making her want him faster than she'd wanted anyone before. He pulled off his shirt and pressed her against the wall, earning a breathy moan. He lifted her t-shirt and sucked at her breast, not even looking at the treasure he won, just taking it. His hand wandered under her skirt. She was already wet, and he brought her to a fast but intense climax with just a few strokes under her panties.

She slumped into him, still breathless from coming. "Zell?" she mewled into his neck, feeling his pulse quicken as she pressed her open mouth into his jugular. "Zell, I want your dick in my mouth."

He laughed a bit at the seriousness of her tone, but when she stepped back from him and slipped to her knees, fingertips sweeping down his chest, tickling the line of the black tattoo running along his ribs and ending on his hip just below the belt, then using his strong legs to keep her wobbly frame steady as she made her descent, his smile quickly evaporated. She unzipped his fly and pushed his boxers to the side, taking out his cock with a slight hiss. She tentatively licked the head, already slick, before she took him into her mouth. He saw stars as she slid him in and out of her mouth, kissing his dick like she had kissed him just a few moments before. He tried not to pump his hips but she let out a groan and dug her fingertips into his ass encouraging him. "I want you so much, Quis," he grunted out. He came quick like she had, crying out her name and stroking her hair while she took all he had to give her deep into her throat. She stood and put his prick back in his pants, kissing him full on the mouth. He wasn't supposed to like that, and probably would've pushed another girl off him at that point, but he got a visceral satisfaction knowing Quistis tasted like him.

By the time he could see properly again, she had gotten a soda out of the fridge and was sitting on the couch. He plopped down next to her, still a little out of breath. "So, uh, what's going on tonight?"

She smiled at him and tossed him the remote. "I've still got papers to grade, then I'm supposed to go out to dinner with the girls."

"Oh, uh, okay. Need any help?"

Xxxxxxx

"Hey, Quis, over here!" Selphie stood in the middle of the small restaurant, waving.

"Hey, Seph, Rinoa. Sorry I'm late. My tests are due tomorrow and I've just had no time this week," Quistis tried to sound casual taking her

"Ya, it's been a weird week, huh?" Rinoa agreed. "It's like all the guys have pms or something."

"Yeah, Irvine hurt himself real bad trying to keep up with the other guys in weight training, said there was this whole competition thing. He won't admit it, but he's been spending like all his free time in the sauna."

"Squall overdid it that day too. He keeps on wanting massages and stuff," Rinoa giggled,"Oh, hey, since you were late, we went ahead and ordered for you. You like Alfredo, right?"

"Yeah. Thanks," Quistis sipped her wine.

"Then there was that whole urges thing, Hyne that was embarrassing."

"But funny!" Rinoa chirped as the food arrived. "And the banana blow job, ha! Quisy, I think I've gotten out of those for a month thanks to you- Squall winces every time I offer. I told him I totally get credit for those."

Selphie laughed but Quistis made a funny face, "what's so bad about, uh, felatio?"

"Cause they put their deal in yo' face," Selphie waved her fork in Quistis' direction. "And they're all like, 'C'Mon, baby, it's been a rough day. Daddy just needs to relax," she finished in a poor imitation of a rich baritone slouching in her chair and motioning to her pelvis the way Irvine had pointed out Exeter earlier in the day, just alittle to the left.

Rinoa cackled, then went into Squall's tenor "Yeah, 'you just don't know how, uh, beautiful you are when you look up at me with your mouth, uh- on me.' I'm not pretty without you humping my face?"

"That's a lot of information, ladies," Quistis laughed.

"Oh, you know it's true," Rinoa shook her finger. "You've dated plenty enough guys."

"Hmm. I guess it's true with some," Quistis put her fork down and thought.

"Uh, oh, it's the teacher voice, Rinny."

"No, I mean," Quistis waved her hands, "there's the guys that just whip it out and start pushing your head towards their lap. But then there's the guy that's just so in to it, you know? So into you. And you just can't help but need to just completely consume that want." She turned pink and went back to her plate quietly.

"Wow. So Quisty likes to suck cock. That's, uh, interesting," Selphie tried in vain to hold back a laugh.

"Yeah, but after that biting incident," Rinoa giggled, "it'll be hard to find man in Garden who will let her. Hey, pass me some more bread!"

Xxxxxx

On the way out of Balamb, the girls ran into Ma Dincht outside her home sweeping the sidewalk in the twilight breeze. "Hey, girls!" she called from the porch.

"Hey, Mrs Dincht!" Rinoa waved.

"Ma Dincht! I know you've got cookies for us to bring back to the guys," Selphie smiled.

"Sure, dear. I just happened to talk to Zell on the phone, so they're just inside." She opened the door and hollered, "HEY, YOU RASCAL! Come out and give Quistis those cookies for your brother!" She closed the door and smiled sweetly, like she hadn't just been yelling in the street. "So, things are going well at Garden?"

The question was clearly directed at her, so Quistis answered, "oh, lovely Mrs Dincht." Turning pink under the street lamps, she added, "things are going really well."

Ma Dincht smiled at her, "I'm so glad, sweetheart. You kids have faced so much hardship. I'm very proud that you guys have found..."

Just then a little red faced ball of energy bounded out the door, scanned the girls and handed the bag to the blonde, "Give that wuss a big kiss for me!" He had barely gotten the planned speech out before he started sputtering with laughter and ran back in the house.

Ma Dincht had a strange little smile on her face and followed the boy. "You girls take care of yourselves!"

"That was weird," Rinoa said to no one in particular.

"Boys are weird," Selphie declared.


	4. Chapter 4

Wednesday

Quistis plopped the bag of cookies on the table. "Hey, alright! I told Ma you guys were in town last night- I was hoping she would send these. Thanks, sweetheart!"

"That's what your mom called her, too," Selphie remarked, putting down her fork. "I've heard Quisty called a lot of things, but very rarely sweetheart."

"What kind of spell have you put over the Dincht family, Quis?" Rinoa asked good-naturedly.

Quistis shrugged, eyes wide. "Whatever it is i can't tell if it reached the little brother or not," she coolly changed the subject, she hoped.

"Yeah," Selphie retrieved her fork and went back to her salad. "That kid is weird, Zell."

"Yeah, he is," he said with a mouth full of cookie, eyeballing Quistis.

"You tell your mother everything?" Quistis asked quietly.

"Yeah, of course!" He waved his glass of milk in the air on the way to his mouth. "Wait, NO!"

Quistis smiled nervously while Irvine chimed in, "Hey, Ma! Today I benched 250, busted up, like, fifty T-Rexaurs, ate seventeen hot dogs, jerked it, then feel asleep on the pot! Talk at ya tomorrow!" He finished by hanging up his finger-phone and smirking.

Selphie held her stomach in silent laughter, "And then, ha, then his brother is like 'I'm totally gonna jerk it twice a day when I'm a SeeD, Ma!"

"Y-yeah, cause that's how you talk to your friends from Trabia when you call them!" Zell countered nervously.

"No, I've heard her," Rinoa had to participate too, "She's there, 'Hey guys! We had the best spring festival ev-ar! Hope you guys did too! Well, time to go make out with my awesome boyfriend! Booooo-yaka!"

"No I don't, Rinny!"

"Yeah, you kinda do," Squall interjected.

"...Whatever!" Quistis, Irvine, Selphie, and Zell all said at once. They all erupted in giggles when Squall rolled his eyes.

"Wanna cookie, Quis?" Zell asked quietly.

"Oh, Zell, yeah I do," Selphie said in a breathy falsetto, "I wanna taste your cookie so hard! Give it to me, oh!"

The whole table looked at Selphie at once, every one of them with their eyebrows raised at her display. "What? No one ever makes fun of Quisty!" She balled her little fists. "Really, guys! And last night she said how she totally looooves..."

Rinoa shushed her, "girl talk!" Then she collapsed in a fit of giggles again.

Xxxxxxx

Quistis finished her classes late that afternoon, so she was not surprised to find Zell shadowboxing outside her corridor. "Quisty!" He bounced up and down when he saw her, "Hyne, I've been just dying since lunch!"

"Yeah, almost every student wanted to go over their results individually." He was holding his breath, "Okay, dying over what?" as she unlocked the door.

"You know what!"

"No," she smiled, "I really don't. So much was said, I mean..."

He cut her off, "Don't play like that. You totally loooove..." He made beckoning motions with both hands.

"You." She kissed him on the way to the kitchenette.

"You told the girls THAT?"

"No, but you told your mother."

"Yeah, I'm happy! I had to tell someone, and after you, she's who I tell things."

"Before, uh, all this even, huh?" She dumped a bag of salad into two dishes and put them on a little tray with a loaf of bread. She sat down next to him and he took her hand.

"Well, yeah!" he said with a lopsided grin. He got up to get them some drinks, but ony his return his shoulders slumped. "Wait a minute! How do you keep doing that?"

"What?" she smiled innocently, taking the ciders from his hands. "Good choice, darling, these will go well with the salads."

"Thanks!" He dug into his salad. "Hey, you just did it again. You always change the subject when it's your turn to talk."

"It's a diversionary tactic, totally necessary when engaging potential hostiles," she smirked.

"It's bullshit, Quis."

"That, too."

He sat next to her and broke the loaf of bread in two, "and I'm not a hostile, baby." He kissed her cheek. "I love you."

"Exactly. The most potentially hostile territory of all," she nonchalantly bit into the bread.

"Don't," he grabbed her hand. "Firstly, don't act like you don't trust me, cause I know you do. That's why I felt I could tell Ma without saying anything. Listen, if you're mad, I'll make it up to you. And I'll n-never tell her new stuff when it comes to us without asking again, okay?"

"I'm not mad, Zell, and I don't want to come between you and your mom. I was just caught off guard. You, of all people get that, right?"

He gave her a thumbs up and a wink as he swallowed his food. "Back to the interrogation!" He chuckled a little, taking another bite, "okay, so if you didn't tell them you love me, and, not to go off topic, but boy are we being casual with that word today."

She smiled at him, "Oh, girls talk, okay? Selphie and Rinoa were bitching about their, uh, sex lives."

"That's awesome!" he grinned, "So you were just like, 'my boyfriend is the best, yeah? Oh, no, huh? They don't know you have a boyfriend."

"They will, Zell. Soon, yeah?"

"Mmmph. I guess," he shrugged finishing his plate. He gathered the dishes and took them over to the sink. "So...?"

"So, and don't you DARE let this get back to Irvine and Squall-" she waited until he made a surrender gesture. Luckily his back was turned so she didn't see him roll his eyes, boys talk too, and if they brought their girl talk up in front of the group, well... "Apparently they only do certain things out of some kind of obligation."

"Like what?" He sat back on the couch, wiping his wet but clean hands on his jeans. "Like sex stuff? Oh, Hyne."

She giggled, "yeah." She snuggled into his side and finished her cider.

"Wait," he wiggled his eyebrows, "finish your story."

"Well, uh, like we um, like I did yesterday."

"What?"

"You know," she buried her face in his neck and kissed it.

"You have to say," he teased.

She turned bright red. "Head, Zell. Some girls don't like doing it- giving it?- but feel like they have to."

"Oh. Why?"

"Like if the guy is tired or stressed out."

"Huh. Well that's nice, I guess, but... Wait, you don't feel that way do you? Yesterday didn't have to happen, you know?"

"Remember, I love it!"

"Oh, even better!" He bounced on the couch a couple of times before he pounced on her, playfully thrusting his hips in her general direction.

"Wait, wait! I wasn't offering!" she pretended to swat at him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Ah! That's why girls don't like it, huh?" he feigned. He jumped up, "Yeah, locker room guys are always saying how they get girls by being like, 'hey, baybeh,'" and then he lewdly grabbed his crotch.

"Yeah. Pretty much," she grinned. "How can girls resist such charm?"

"Oh, they're just desperate to be liked," he shrugged. "That's why the guys, you know," he slipped off his shirt and flexed. His lean muscles moved under his smooth skin.

"Mmm, manly," her fingers reached for the zipper at the top of her battle gear. "So if I want you to like me, I should wear my vest a little more," she lowered the opening so that it was just above her nipples.

"Honestly, Quis, much as I like ya anyway, if you're gonna go that far, you might as well just go topless," he joked. "That would be pretty cool, but us mercenaries would be out of a j..."

He stopped short when her top hit the floor, and just looked at her. Her milky skin was just radiant, from the dip just blow her throat where her blush made it a little pinker to her gorgeous boobs that had tiny little lines of blue circling her dusky nipples. Her stomach was exactly the shade of creamy porcelain that peeked out over her skirt revealing the curve of her hips. He hadn't realized he had gone to her until he witnessed his trembling hand caress the little dip just above them and settling on her waist. "You're so beautiful," he whispered reverently.

She put her arms around his neck and tittered, "Would you like me more if I..."

"I couldn't, Quisy, really," he rasped.

"Wanna touch me anyway?" she smiled and ran her fingers through his hair.

He coughed nervously before he eased his hands over her skin seeking the tips of her breasts. She took a deep breath and he was reminded to let out the air he was holding in his lungs. He made a trial squeeze and when she didn't object, he smoothed and lightly pinched and pulled at the tips.

When she tipped her head back and closed her eyes, he eased her over to the bed and gently urged her to sit. He covered her lap with his body and put his mouth on her tit, licking and suckling in time to the sounds coming from her throat. After kissing her chest back and fourth and in between, she was leaning back against the headboard, eyes closed, barely aware of anything but the sensations he was sending through her.

With a smug grin, he licked up her neck and kissed her again. She wrapped her legs around him and started the rubbing thing she liked to do. "Shh, baby," he stopped her with a hand on her hip. "Not like that. I wanna show you what I like."

He slid down her body and settled between her legs. "Zell, you really don't..." she shivered as he ran his callused fingers over her panties. "The thing last night really wasn't a big deal."

He slid the virginal white cotton panties down her powerful legs and hooked them over her ankles and feet, tossing them to the floor. "Yeah, I know." He bounced up the bed and put himself back between her thighs. "Pschaw, what makes this any different? Totally sexy, normal, and, uh, easy."

"And something you've totally done before?"

"Nope," he looked up at her with a grin, before he placed a kiss where the soft blond curls started and made his way over to her center. He opened her with his fingers and stuck his tongue in just a little, waiting until she let out a little sigh, relaxing on the mattress a little more.

He tried it again, and got a little whine so he licked again. Growing bolder, he gave her more pressure, went faster, pushed her thighs further apart, just whatever he could think of that would bring her pleasure. Her moans became frantic, but he just couldn't get her- there.

Hyne, this was his dream, her, here, just like this- wait... "Quis," he whispered, still close to her.

"Huh?" came her fevered reply.

"Play with your tits," he growled into her.

As soon as she did, it was like something broke inside her. She thrashed beneath him and cried out as her world fell apart. He groaned into her, his deep voice sending jolts of pleasure over her already fried nerves. She bucked him off her, and pulled him close for a kiss as he rolled off her body. When he sighed into her mouth, she began to snake her hand down his torso, seeking out his cock.

He siezed her hand just short of its destination, "No, Quis, I, uh."

She lifted her head off the pillow, "what?" She looked concerned.

"Shit," he rubbed his face. "I came already."

"When?" In response he just looked at the ceiling and kind of moved his head back and forth a bit. "Oh, I guess you did like it."

"Don't make fun, Quis." He got off the bed and started dancing around, tension playing through his movements as he edged towards the bathroom.

"Here," she said, as she padded over to her chest of drawers. She retrieved an old pair of boxers- his.

"Wha-"

"I've had them a while now," she blushed. "I, uh, couldn't bring myself to give them back, but they're perfectly good."

"Since when?" his incredulity didn't stop him from taking them from her.

"Oh, Esthar. We were stuck in the presidential palace waiting for Squall, Irvine and Rinoa to get back from the moon base and I had forgotten clothes to sleep in." She smiled at the memory. "I didn't like the weird fabric they had for nightgowns so I snuck into your room and," she covered her mouth when she laughed, "Zell, I stole your underwear."

"Hyne. And they say boys are weird."


	5. Chapter 5

Thursday

He woke in her arms, snuggled in her little bed enveloped in her scent. He had showered with her soap, used her shampoo, and slept in her sheets. She was still asleep, and part of him wanted to slip back into his dreams using her chest as a pillow.

Other parts of him very much wanted her awake. As a virile young male, he couldn't help but listen to his lower half. He suckled his her nipples into sharp peaks and eventually licked her throat while fondling lazily at her complementary bits.

"Mmmm, morning, Zell." She kissed him indulgently then turned to look at the clock at her bedside. 'Shit, I'm supposed to go for a run with the third years later."

"I know abetter way to get your heart rate up, baby, he moaned into her breast and rumbled a low laugh that had his shoulders rippling as he grazed her sides with his fingertips.

"Gah! So much cheese in the morning! I can't stand it," she laughed.

He pressed himself up and looked down at her, his expression a little hurt. "I was being silly, Quisy, Hyne."

"Oh. Good..." She rubbed his back a little, "so you didn't want to..."

He went in for another kiss and groped her a little over her camisole. Never leaving her mouth, he eased the straps from her shoulders, freeing her breasts. She ran her hands over his ass and started pushing down his boxers. "Zell, I want you."

He raised himself up and sent his underwear falling to the floor and he grabbed her top and slid it down her body along with her panties. "I can't get over how beautiful you are," he touched her reverently from cheek to thigh. "How did I miss it, all this time."

She blushed under his appraisal. "We had to be too close to see," she gripped his strong arm and planted a kiss on his knuckle. "We were so comfortable with each other, ya know?"

"Yeah, in some ways this is so easy, being with you, but it's hard too." He suckled her nipple a bit before looking up at her apologetically, "uh, that wasn't meant as a double entendre, I swear."

She tittered, "I know." A soft sigh escaped her lips as he resumed sucking her tit. She slid her arms around his shoulders to hold him and kissed the top of his head. "Zell, this is all just so..." And she sighed again.

"Hmm, Ma said you said everything was 'lovely,'" he smiled.

"Don't talk about your mom when you're about to fuck me, Zell," she intoned, grazing one of his flat nipples with her thumb.

He rose one eyebrow, crinkling his facial decoration, "Was I about to?"

"I thought that's where this was going," she licked his ear.

"Shit, you know I never have a plan, Quis," he muttered as he shifted above her, lining up their bodies and rubbing her calf with his foot. He pushed himself inside with a grunt and dove to pinch a nipple with his mouth, licking it even as he held it in his teeth.

"Hyne, Zell," she groaned, more out of surprise than passion. It did feel nice though, and she moved against him a little.

"Is this...?" She rolled her hips as she kissed him roughly and he closed his eyes, getting an almost hysterical little "mmmm" from her in response that he took for a yes, especially considering thee way she was moving her hips. Then he began to move within her.

The room went silent except for their breathing and the rustling of their bodies on the sheets until Quistis started to whimper a bit in time with their quick rhythm. He swiftly sealed her mouth with a searing embrace but it didn't stop the sounds as tension coiled in her belly. Her legs tightened around his hips as she rocked with him for what seemed like forever, but had to have been quick. When she cried out signalling her release, and he broke away from her mouth. Zell grabbed her ankles and moved his hands to her thighs, pumping into her harder than he had before. The new sensation prolonged her orgasm. As her mind started to clear, she found his face inches away from hers, eyes focused on her while he pound himself into her.

"Oh, Quis, this is, ah!" His eyes closed then, and he fell into her neck. She cooed and cradled his head until he looked up at her, grinning. She couldn't help but smile back.

He pulled her closer before he withdrew. "This is just lovely." he sighed.

"Yeah. Lovely."

Xxxxxx

For the second time that day, all she could hear was ragged breathing and rhythmic pounding. Of course, this time it was her feet on the new track pavement installed on top of the MD level steel floor, so the sound was a lot less gratifying. The girls followed her on the path, groaning and bitching as they went.

"Instructor Trepe, how much longer?" a girl complained behind her.

"We only have one lap to go, Jenny. Your attitude is not helping the time go any faster."

"Yah, but we have to go to the weight room after. The boys will be done by then, Hyne," another girl chimed in.

"Jackie, hush. And why would you want to share the facility with the boys?" Quistis demanded.

"Not the boys, Instructor. The MEN!"

"Men?" Xu had come around to see what was going on. "When did we get some of those?"

"You know," the girl blushed. "Instructor Kinneas and Commander Leonhart. Jenny likes Instructor Dincht, though." Jackie squeaked.

Xu only went "pfft" but Quistis was scandalized. "Ladies! Those are your superiors and my friends, why would you ever feel comfortable enough to voice those opinions in my presence, much less entertain them at all?"

"Don't pretend like you've never thought of it," a third girl, Angie, piped up. "You and Miss Rinoa chasing after the commander, Kinneas and Tilmit."

"Yeah," Jenny cut in, "and poor Zell gets left out in the cold- we've all read the stories.

The other girls had all clumped around the three girls and the instructors. Quistis stood tall, "First of all ladies, those 'biographies' are unauthorized and are full of half-truths. You should know better." She took adeep breath. "Our lives are not for your amusement, much less your fantasies."

"But Instructor Dincht is so hot!" Jenny slapped a hand over her mouth as the words slipped out.

"Detention!" Xu bellowed, "the rest of you hit the showers. You've gotten yourselves worked up enough!" The girls shuffled out of the training center. Whether they were properly chastised or just trying to avoid trouble, Quistis couldn't tell.

Once they were all gone, Xu grabbed her stomach, laughing hard. "Oh, what?" Quis rolled her eyes.

"Come on, he is nice to look at."

"Not you too!"

"Well, all the other good guys are taken, and you know I broke up with Nida. If Zell wasn't so hyper, I'd be on that so fast... Maybe I should give it ago any way."

"No. No, no, no, no. No." Quistis started walking away.

"Oh why not?" she laughed. "He'd be fun for a little while. Not a lifetime, but," she shrugged.

"How can you say that? What are you, Dinchies?!"

"Oh, poor beautiful Quistis and Zell. Good thing you have each other to console yourselves." Xu said sarcastically.

"Y- you don't know what you're talking about, Xu." Quistis studied her trainers.

"Uh, oh. That hit a nerve! Good Hyne, are you 'with' him?"

Quistis only shrugged her shoulders. She wouldn't make any declarations, not here, not to Xu.

"Ooooh, you guys are. Fuck buddies! Gosh, Quis, I didn't think you had it in you."

The pneumatic doors opened, signaling the arrival of the third year boys, and presumably their manly instructors.

"We're not... that, Xu, at all." she turned to leave.

"Hey Quis!" Zell bounced a little, waving, while Irvine touched his hat.

Quistis smiled despite herself. "Hey, Zell."

"Quisty, where are your students?"


	6. Chapter 6

Friday

"You knew about this?" Rinoa swatted at the back of Squall's head as they exited the movie theater.

"Well sure, Rinny," Irvine answered for him, "it's only natural that girls would..."

"Here we go with what's natural, guys," Zell interrupted. " Quistis covered her mouth to laugh and Zell positively beamed.

"I just don't get why they would say something to me about it, " she wondered aloud.

"Maybe they thought you could relate because of your crush when your were Squall's instructor,". Selphie offered.

"Banned topic!" Irvine interjected. "Besides, I think they're just horny teenagers anyway. No real harm. "

"Like you..." Selphie followed after him with the moon in her eyes.

"Yeah, but you don't hear me telling Cid what asweet ass you have," he put his arm around her.

"Or me telling Matron..." Zell punched the air.

"Telling Matron what, Zell?" Squall smirked.

"You know," he reddened. "Uh, tits and stuff." Everybody laughed. "Hey, so I'm gonna go visit my mom. Wanna come, ba- Quisty? Wanna come Quisty." He turned even redder.

"Oh, yeah sure. I'll bet everybody else wants to go for a quiet walk back to garden. I don't wanna be afifth wheel."

"Oh, you just wanna spend more time with your boyfriend!" Selphie sang.

"WHAT?" Quistis and Zell said at the same time.

"Yeah, Zell's little brother. Get it? After the cookie thing?" She was confused.

Irvine pulled her away, "I wanna see the beach. Night, guys. Have fun, you two."

Xxxxx

"MA! I'm home!" Zell hollered, slamming the door behind him. He picked up Quistis' hand and led her into the house.

"Zell! So good to see you! Quistis! You too!" she greeted them from the kitchen.

"Hi, Mrs Dincht. How are you?"

"Oh, good. You guys just missed dinner, I hope that's okay. I have dessert coming if you are planning on sticking around," she dried off her hands on a towel and led them in to the living room where Zell's little brother was lounging on the couch. "Get up, you lazy thing," she fussed. "Let Quistis sit down."

"Okay," he muttered, moving to the floor. Zell plopped down and patted the cushion next to him. "So are you still in loooove, big brother?"

"Yep! With the best girl ever!" he bounced a little, squeezing Quistis' hand.

Mrs Dincht handed a blushing Quistis a cup of tea, "Don't mind the boys, dear. This little rascal is just jealous he doesn't have a pretty girl to bring home to his ma."

"What would I want a girl for?" the kid wrinkled his nose.

"Oh, in due time you'll want one, child. And you'll be hard pressed to find one as good as her," she said softly. Quistis turned even redder and sank het face into Zell's shoulder. "Don't mind the boys, dear, really." Ma sipped her tea. "Any exciting missions, Zell?"

"Naw, we've just been busy with this new batch of seniors. I took two guys to the fire cave, but other that, not much excitement." Then he winked at Quistis, who rolled her eyes in response, but smiled.

"They should be finished by next week though. Then we get to actually train them as SeeD. And then they help with the next group, and so it goes on forever." Quistis found herself easing into the conversation, on this easy topic.

"Well, no rest for the wicked, eh?" Ma joked. "Don't work yourselves too hard."

""But they're always in town, Ma," the young boy remarked. "Watching movies and hanging out at the cafe. Quistis has been here twice this week!"

"Not nearly enough, boy," Ma dismissed him. "Maybe she'll even persuade your brother to visit more."

"He's here plenty enough..."

"So what did your friends have to say about the happy news, Zell? Are they as thrilled as I am?"

"We haven't told them yet," Quistis said quickly.

"Why not?" Zell's little brother asked in abratty tone. "It's not like noone could tell."

"Cause they'll make fun of us! Or act all goofy about it or something," Zell hung his head. "Or make us go on double dates or..."

A timer in the kitchen dinged and Mrs Dincht went chasing after it. "C'mon, rascal, help with the cake."

"Mmkay," he got up and shuffled past.

"Should you help too?" Quistis asked quietly.

"Yeah, alright," and he kissed her cheek before he left.

Alone in the living room, she took in her surroundings. The place was cozy, no emergency boxes, no intercom system, no weapons strapped to the wall- just photographs of a happy family. She reached for one of a pre-teen Zell holding his baby brother, Ma smiling at the two from behind. Beyond that one, there were pictures of the boys fishing with their grandpa, dressed up for holidays, smiling at the table. His graduation from primary school, before Garden. Him in his brand new SeeD uniform. There was even one of Zell and his friends exiting the train after Time Compression. No wonder Zell was so open and honest, being brought up this way. Of course he would love that way too. He didn't know how to be guarded and quiet about his emotion, and Ma Dincht would never stand for evading questions or slinking off to deal with problems on his own. There would be loud fights and crying and hugs and kisses. But there was a quiet strength in their closeness, so clear that they were even nonchalant about it. And, was she a part of that now? It would take some getting used that's what they were waiting on, telling the guys. Waiting fur it to seem more real.

Her reverie was interrupted by a squeak from the kitchen. Ma Dincht all but skipped into the room, breezing past her without a word. She rifled through a drawer and cooed as she retrieved a small box. "Oh, sweetheart," the older woman patted her shoulder, smiling with tears in her eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Quistis asked, putting down the photo.

"Everything's lovely," she sighed. "Come on, let's eat in the kitchen."

"Uh, okay..."

Xxxxx

"So your mom is nice," she said as they exited Balamb into the night.

"Of course! But you've met her before; she's always liked you."

"It's different now, though."

"Is it?"

"Well, yeah. We have this new relationship, so we have to kind of see things through a new perspective, don't we?"

"Pfft, no."

"How can we not? Love changes everything," she scratched her arm.

"I've loved you since we were little kids, Quis. The only thing that changes is that i get to touch your boobs now."

She scoffed, "it's a bit more dramatic than that."

"I dunno," he grinned, "boobs are pretty cool." Shit, she was being serious. "Look, I mean it, you and i are the same as we ever were. We just see it for what it is now, so we know to cherish it," he said into her ear. And he kissed her so sweetly, it almost brought tears. "It really is the same though."

She smiled at him, but let out a little wobbly sob.

"Don't you cry now, or I'll start to cry too." This made her giggle. He lifted her chin and met her lips again, pouring all his confidence and devotion into her. It was like a junction swap, in a way, except that they were both stronger because of it. "Let's go home," he smiled.

They walked the rest of the way to Garden in silence until they got to her door. He kissed her one more time and said, "goodnight, sweetheart."

She entered her room and laid on her bed, barely remembering to take off most of her clothes. She drifted off to sleep in adreamy haze, head full of visions of a cozy little seaside cottage, family and laughter.


	7. Chapter 7

Saturday

She awoke to a frantic knocking at her door. Checking the mirror, she saw that she was still in her blue t-shirt from yesterday and panties. "Hold on a second!" She grabbed a pair of boxer shorts- hers- ran a hand through her hair and opened the door. "What?"

Selphie was hopping a bit, standing in the hallway. "Um, is Zell here?"

"No." What the Hell?

"Cool," she brushed her way past into the room. Sitting herself in the the recliner, she declared, "okay so here's the plan! You tell Zell you want to, I dunno, spar or something and ask him to meet you at the MD level track."

"Wait- plan for what? And doesn't he usually train with Squall and Irvine?"

"To hook him up with the girl from E Squad, silly!" she said enthusiastically, then added quietly, "and squall and Irvine both said no."

"No, no, no. He, Uhhh, already turned that down, so, it world be wrong to go behind his back."

"He doesn't know what he wants, Quisty. That's why we have to give him a little push. Just like with Squall and rinoa."

"Zell is not like squall," she put her hands on his hips. "And if you remember, they had to be stranded in outer space to get together."

"You're no fun!"

"Not when it comes to setting up the people I care about, no."

"But if you care about him so much, don't you want to see him happy?" Selphie stood and crossed her arms.

"Not like that!"

"MEANIE!" And she stormed out.

Xxxxx

Zell was watching cartoons in his underwear and eating abowl of cereal when a knock came on his door. He looked in the mirror and shrugged before he answered. "Oh, hey, rinoa. What's up?"

"I need your help getting Quistis to the bridge after hours," she beamed.

"Wouldn't squall be in charge of that?"

"He said no," het smile fell.

"Why?" he crossed his arms in the doorway.

"See, Xu just broke up with Nida, and we thought he and Quisty would make a cute couple. He's up for it, if she'll agree to meet him. She'll never do it, so... we need your help."

"A set up?"

"Well yeah."

"For Quistis?" he spoke calmly.

"Yeah," her smile returned.

"No."

"C'mon, Zell. Don't you want to see her happy?" Rinoa begged.

"No."

"Zell, please please please! She needs this! Nida is just so perfect for Quistis. He's sweet, he's smart, he..."

"Not in a million years with that scrawny little dude playing with his big stick all day..Probably looking down everybody's blouses when they come to talk to squall."

"MEANIE!" Zell slammed the door.

Xxxxx

The lunch table was uncharacteristically quiet that afternoon. Zell set his tray down and rubbed the back of his neck, "hey, guys."

"You might as well turn right back around, buddy. The girls are pissed."

"Huh?" he said, stuffing a forkfull of mashed potatoes in his mouth.

"Their plan was thwarted" Squall put his soda can down, "so they're sulking."

"I'm not sulking," Rinoa stick her tongue out at her boyfriend.

"Convincing," he muttered as he moved on to his apple.

"Oh, yeah, the Quisty and Nida thing?" Zell asked.

"Shit," Irvine muttered.

"No, freaking Zell. Can't you keep your mouth shut?" Selphie stood up. "Hyne."

"Honey..." Irvine tried to intervene.

"Me too, guys?" Quistis was exasperated. "Listen, I know you guys mean well, but enough is enough!"

"We're just trying to help you guys be happy! Do you really want to spend another Friday night with Zell and his mother?" she waved her arms dramatically.

"Hey, don't bring my Ma into this..." Zell was strangely calm about the whole mess.

"You guys are so mean. Why don't you just date each other, so no-one else will be bothered by it," Rinoa countered. The men went silent.

"How does my perceived loneliness affect you? Really? How am I being mean to you by not going out with Nida or whomever it is next time?" Quistis bounced her spoon off her plate and crossed her arms.

"Well, you...you-,You're always with him anyway," Rinoa was determined to be in the right.

"Rin-" Squall tried.

"Ooh, yeah! And then everyone will be paired up in our little group and we won't have to make room for any non-orphans in our gang!" Selphie was getting that look in her eye. At least she wasn't mad anymore. Irvine just groaned and looked at the ceiling.

Quistis opened her mouth to say something, but Zell grabbed her hand and stood up. "Okay, ladies!" He punched the air with his other hand. "You're right. C'mon, Quis, baby, let's give it a try!"

He pulled her in for a kiss that was meant to be for show, but Quisty's soft lips were just so responsive. He couldn't help threading his hand through her long blonde hair and dropping her clenched fist in favor of circling his arm around her waist to pull her closer. She loosened up pretty quickly and put her hands helplessly against his chest, kneading just alittle. "I love you, Quis," he said softly against her cheek.  
She pulled away, laughing. "What the Hell? I love you, too, Zell!" She laughed again and grabbed his hand, "Hey, let's go make a baby!"

Xxxxx

"Hey, hey, hey! That was funny and all," they were both flushed from the scene and still fleeing the cafeteria, "but, uh, you're on birth control, right?

Quistis laughed loudly as she skipped down the stairs, "yeah, why?"

"Oh, you know," he was a little out of breath as she pulled him towards the dorms, "I thought we'd like get engaged first, maybe even married or something before we talked about, you know, babies."

"Oh, I was joking and you know it," she said pulling her key out.

"Yeah, but, you know I'd marry you tomorrow if you'd let me," he ran his hand through his hair. "Just that seemed REALLY fast, and I am so not ready for, you know," he plopped on her bed. He laid there for a heartbeat before he was sitting up, "not that I'm complaining mind you."

"No, you're right. Slow kind of flew out the window pretty quick, didn't it?" She sat down next to him.

"Yeah, but I'm really not complaining," he rubbed her shoulders. Shifting behind her on the bed, she put her arms around his neck and he kissed her shoylders. One hand slid down her abdomen, teasing her nipple with the other. He held her hips close to him, and she could feel his hardness on her backside. "I want you so bad, Quis"

She twisted in his arms and threw herself at him in a clash of teeth and tongues, pressed flesh and quick hands removing clothing until they were breathing hard and naked for each other.

His hands were all over her, testing and tasting, making her ready for him. She reciprocated with her legs caressing his calves, ass, and thighs, and soothing his biceps and shoulders as he searched her body.

He got very still as he pushed himself inside her, a stark difference from the almost frantic dance he had done before. "Zell," she sighed and kissed him while he established asteady rhythm above her. This was intense but without the fever of their first time together, but with all the passion. They eased their bodies towards completion, holding each other's gaze.

Zell kissed Quistis. "Hey," he took her hand out from under his neck and held it at over his chest.

"Hey." She snuggled into him. "So do you really want to get married?"

"Yeah, but i didn't really mean tomorrow."

"That's good. We're definitely moving that way though, huh?"

"Yeah. My mom gave me my grandma's ring for when you're ready. I'm not going to rush you, though, but whenever you want it its there." He blushed a little and buried his head in her hair.

"I'll wear it," she said, squeezing his hand.

He had the goofiest grin on his face, she could feel it, but he just said, "that's awesome, Quisty. Love you."

"I love you, Zell."

He yawned and stretched abit, not unlike acat. "Uh, Quis?"

"Yeah?" She snuggled him again since he moved.

"Is dinner soon?"

"I don't think so, why?"

"Well, I kinda skipped lunch..."


	8. Chapter 8

Sunday

They walked hand in hand into the cafeteria around noon after a lazy morning of sugary cereal and a ridiculously campy film from just after the first sorceress war. It wasn't quite as silly as the one 'Sir Laguna' had been in, but it was close.

Selphie stood up as soon as they came in with their trays , "Okay, very funny guys, with that whole deal yesterday."

Quistis just sat down and sipped her tea. She still held his hand, his right with her left, on top of the table.

"See you're still mad," Rinoa said. "Listen, we're sorry. It won't happen again."

Quistis sipped her tea again and raised her eyebrows. Zell bounced alittle in his seat but also said nothing.

Selphie begged, "Yea, guys, really sorry. We''ll..."

"What the FUCK?" Irvine interrupted. "That is NOT funny, Quisty!"

"Hmm?" she kissed Zell's knuckle, who turned red faced immediately.

"What?" Selphie looked at him wide eyed.

"Dude, you're in on it too," Irvine gestured toward Zell.

"It's not ajoke. Quisy and i are for real," his chin shot up as he spoke.

Squall cleared his throat, "Fine, we're happy for you. But that business there is a bit much." He gestured towards their joined hands.

"Oh, Hyne- Quisty!" Rinoa danced a bit in her spot. "Awww, I wish it were true."

"It is!" Quistis nodded her head, beaming.

"Guys, WHAT?!" Selphie stood, finally getting a better angle. "Oh!" She sat again, "but wait, you can't make adecision like that- you've been together for like aday."

"Nope," Zell picked his fiancee up and placed her in his lap. "Longer than that. Maybe not by much, but long enough to know we can't help but be together for along, long time."


End file.
